Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper was 2.6% in 2018. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2018)
2.6%
Change on year
up 17.0%
World rank
122nd
of 142 countries
All-time high
23.2%
in 1972
All-time low
1.1%
in 2015
Years of data
30
1972–2018

Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1972–2018

05101520251972199520181972: 23.2 %1973: 22.5 %1974: 16.8 %1975: 16.9 %1976: 16 %1977: 16.7 %1978: 17.7 %1979: 18.5 %1981: 21.1 %1982: 20.4 %1998: 6.1 %1999: 4.9 %2000: 5.3 %2001: 5.1 %2002: 4.2 %2003: 4.6 %2004: 3.1 %2005: 3.3 %2006: 6 %2007: 7.3 %2008: 6.1 %2009: 4.8 %2010: 3.8 %2011: 5.8 %2012: 7.9 %2013: 4.8 %2014: 1.8 %2015: 1.1 %2017: 2.2 %2018: 2.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 2.6%.

The figure is up 17.0% on the previous year and down 58.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 23.2% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2015.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 122nd out of 142 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper secondary school age, both sexes (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1972 to 2018.
Year % Change
1972 23.2%
1973 22.5% -3.0%
1974 16.8% -25.2%
1975 16.9% +0.5%
1976 16.0% -5.5%
1977 16.7% +4.2%
1978 17.7% +6.1%
1979 18.5% +4.7%
1981 21.1% +14.0%
1982 20.4% -3.6%
1998 6.1% -70.1%
1999 4.9% -18.9%
2000 5.3% +7.6%
2001 5.1% -4.6%
2002 4.2% -17.1%
2003 4.6% +8.3%
2004 3.1% -32.7%
2005 3.3% +6.2%
2006 6.0% +84.6%
2007 7.3% +22.2%
2008 6.1% -16.7%
2009 4.8% -20.6%
2010 3.8% -20.6%
2011 5.8% +50.3%
2012 7.9% +36.6%
2013 4.8% -39.3%
2014 1.8% -61.7%
2015 1.1% -39.0%
2017 2.2% +95.2%
2018 2.6% +17.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 18.5% 16.0% 23.2% 8
1980s 20.7% 20.4% 21.1% 2
1990s 5.5% 4.9% 6.1% 2
2000s 5.0% 3.1% 7.3% 10
2010s 3.8% 1.1% 7.9% 8

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 119 Poland 2.9% compare
  2. 120 Georgia 2.8% compare
  3. 121 Latvia 2.6% compare
  4. 123 France 2.4% compare
  5. 124 Saudi Arabia 2.2% compare
  6. 125 Czechia 2.1% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 2.6% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 23.2% in 1972.
What is the lowest out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2015.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 122nd out of 142 countries with data for 2018.
Is out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 58.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper secondary school age, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-rate-for-adolescents-and-youth-of-lower-and-upper-secondary-school-age-both/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper secondary school age, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
185 places, 4,210 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Number of adolescents and youth of lower secondary and upper secondary school age who are not enrolled or attending school during in a given academic year. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/